Compact non-contact mechanical coupling, damping and/or load bearing device

Abstract

A compact, noncontact mechanical coupling, damping, and/or load bearing device comprising an internal load bearing member and an external load bearing member that are mated in an interdigitated relation while maintaining a gap therebetween is described. In some embodiments, the gap between the internal and external load bearing members is maintained by hydrostatic means, hydrodynamic means, electrorheological fluids, magnetorheological fluids, electric fields, and/or magnetic fields.

I claim: 
     
       1. A compact non-contact load bearing device, comprising:
 an internal load bearing member having a plurality of digits joined by a linking portion, the linking portion defining a space between adjacent digits, the space having a predetermined thickness and shape; 
 at least one external load bearing member having a plurality of digits joined by a linking portion, the linking portion defining a cavity between adjacent digits, said cavity adapted to receive a digit of the internal load bearing member such that the internal load bearing member mates with the external load bearing member in an interdigitated relation while leaving a gap between interdigitated surfaces of the internal load bearing member and the external load bearing member; and 
 a means for maintaining the gap. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the gap has a distance from about 10 −2  m to about 10 −12  m. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the internal load bearing member, the external load bearing member or both comprise between about 2 to about 10 6  digits. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the digits in the internal load bearing member or the external load bearing member is from about 10 −2  m to about 10 −12  m. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the means for maintaining the gap is selected from the group consisting of a hydrostatic fluid, a hydrodynamic fluid, an electrorheological fluid, a magnetorheological fluid, an electric field, and a magnetic field. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the digits in the internal load bearing member and the external load bearing member are in an annular configuration. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the digits in the internal load bearing member and the external load bearing member are in a planar configuration. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the internal load bearing member comprises a lead screw, and wherein the external load bearing member comprises a female thread for receiving the lead screw. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the internal load bearing member and the external load bearing member are comprised of a material independently selected from the group consisting of organic polymers, ceramics, graphite, silicates, borates, copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, gold, and steel. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the material comprising one of the internal load bearing member or the external load bearing member is a porous material. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a device selected from the group consisting of a radial bearing, a thrust bearing, a hydrostatic bearing, a hydrodynamic bearing, a frictionless bearing, a damping device, a mechanical coupling device, a clutch, a lead screw and a linear motion device. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the means for maintaining the gap is selected from the group consisting of a hydrostatic fluid, a hydrodynamic fluid, an electrorheological fluid, a magnetorheological fluid, an electric field, and a magnetic field. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the means is a fluid selected from the group consisting of an electrorheological fluid and a magnetorheological fluid, and wherein the fluid substantially fills the gap. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 12 , further comprising a controller in electronic controlling communication with the internal bearing member or the external bearing member, said controller adapted to control an electric or a magnetic field strength. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the internal load bearing member comprises a plurality of linking portions offset longitudinally from each other. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the internal and external bearing members are adapted to linearly translate relative to each other and to rotate as one body about a predetermined axis. 
     
     
       17. A device, comprising: a plurality of devices according to  claim 1 , the plurality of devices arranged in a configuration selected from the group consisting of an arrangement in parallel, in series, and a portion in parallel and a portion in series.